Can Indigenous Culture Coexist with Christianity?

Short Essay From HS

When it comes to the Christian missions to the far ends of the world, a controversial topic was always the impact of outside influence on the heritage and culture of the people. To many, it is as if the Church wants to eradicate all indigents, then sculpt a society in the light of their image, and what they believe is the ideal. This statement is not only false but also an over-exaggeration.

The real reason why the Church conducts these missions in the first place is to share the essence of the church’s teachings and to unite these people into a world community of believers. When it comes to mixing Christian influence with indigenous culture, would there be a mismatch? My answer would be no. Traditional culture and Christian beliefs are perfectly compatible; one is a way of life, while the other is a way of finding purpose in life. The love of God and dedication to live a life of goodwill in service to humanity is a universal thing and does not require you to sacrifice a part of your heritage to do so. The word “Catholic” comes from the Greek word “katholikos”, which literally means “universal”. As such, there are actually many countries around the world with a large community of Christians, but still, retain the bulk of their heritage.

Take for example an Asian nation like the Philippines, wherein Christians compose up to 85% of the population. Many people here, even those living in the mountain regions, still retain their traditional ways of life, folk arts, music, festivities and etc… despite being influenced to Christianity by a European nation like Spain.